FOCUS No. 251 – How France Has Come to Accept Urban Violence During Sporting Events and Festivals

This report, authored by Jérôme Fourquet, analyzes trends in urban violence associated with major sporting and festive events in France. Using PSG as an example, the study highlights the shift from hooliganism—which was historically concentrated in the stands—to more widespread forms of urban violence, characterized by clashes with law enforcement, vandalism, arson, and looting. The document also highlights how this violence has gradually become part of a recurring calendar—soccer matches, July 14, New Year’s Eve, Halloween—reflecting a normalization and a form of institutionalization of these incidents in public spaces.